Gajevyfallfest 2018
by Where'sTheFood
Summary: "I shot straight as an arrow, You caught me in your bullseye, Who knew, two could've fit so right?" Enjoy my contributions for Gajevyfallfest 2018! Day 1: Tied up (already up), Day 2: Wild (coming soon), Day 3: Under arrest (coming soon).


**A/N** this is my first contribution to gajevyfallfest 2018! For Day 1: Tied Up I bring you The red string of fate (Soulmate AU/Modern AU). Enjoy! Huge thanks to ranunculus-fox and bianww for being my betas *smooches* thank you darlings!

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Ever since Levy had memory, her left hand bore a red string tied to her little finger. Though, as she came to realize, no one could see it but her.

The first memory she had of the crimson thread that circled her finger was on a warm spring afternoon when she was barely five years old. At the time, she was in the backyard of her home, playing with her favorite toys while her mother worked on her garden. The thread caught her attention immediately and at first, she thought that it came from a loose string of her headband that had tangled in her hand when she brushed her hair with her fingers earlier. As she tried to grab it, her fingers touched nothing but thin air as if it were a mirage created by the sunshine. But as Levy inspected it further, the illusion seemed much more real than the optical tricks her father used to play on her.

With her brown eyes, she inspected the string, noticing its beautiful color and neat bow that sat on her finger. As she studied it with that unique curiosity that only Levy owned, she saw how the red string extended forward with its other end disappearing into thin air out of her arms' reach. Something in the back of her mind told her that she should follow it, that she should explore where her red string might lead her to.

Could it be towards an adventure? Or maybe to a hidden treasure?

With curiosity fueling her excitement, she stood up and followed the thread with a million of thoughts running amok in her mind on what could be waiting for her on the other end. But instead of magical beings or an oak chest, she found herself in the middle of the road and remembered the loud screeching of tires almost drowned out by her mother crying her name. The uncomfortable arm cast she wore for 6 weeks reminded Levy that she should never follow the red string that hung from her finger. Or at least not before looking both ways before crossing the street.

She tried to ask her father about the string. He was a specialist on magic illusions, or at least it looked like that to Levy as her father used any opportunity he had to learn new magic tricks, so she assumed he was the best person to ask about her red string. He listened patiently to her tale, but once she finished he ruffled her hair, complimenting her on her wild imagination and chuckling. Levy didn't understand the joke and again tried to explain it to her father. " _It's a very pretty string, dear_ ," he had said before turning off her night lamp and kissing her goodnight. She concluded then that maybe her father didn't know all types of magic in this world.

With time, Levy got used to her string to the point in which she would have routines that would involve her string. When she was bored, she would play with it, pulling it sharply like someone participating in tug of war, imagining that on the other end someone would be given the extra push to jump into the ocean. When she would finish her latest book, she would also create stories involving her thread, in which she was the protagonist and the red string was the medium to guide her to her destiny as a mage that would protect the Earth from evil demons. And when sleep escaped her late at night, she would direct her gaze to where her string disappeared and talk about anything and everything, wondering if maybe someone, somewhere could hear her passionate ramble about the latest book her mom had bought for her.

As years passed by, Levy's classmates taught her the hard way that no one could see her thread but her. They laughed at her, calling her horrible nicknames to tease her because they couldn't see her string. After one afternoon when she had come home crying from school, Levy asked her mother about it, to which she replied that Levy wasn't five anymore and that she shouldn't be inventing stories about red strings that lured kids to dangerous zones. Levy got up from the dinner table, crying indignantly that she wasn't making it up before stomping her way to her room and slamming the door shut. Her aunt Shagotte, who had been eating with them that day, offered to talk with the 8-year-old girl. As she sat gently on Levy's bed, with the girl refusing to acknowledge the presence of her aunt, Shagotte told Levy the tale about why some could see the red string and why some couldn't.

"I believe you," she started and it was enough to make Levy raise her head from her pillow to look at her aunt. "I know your thread is real, Levy. I believe you."

"Y-you do?" Levy gasped and sat up quickly. "Can you see it then?" She held her left hand up with an expectant expression decorating her face. Shagotte smiled but shook her head 'No' to which Levy's gaze turned confused.

"I cannot see it, Levy. Lemme explain." She grabbed one of Levy's pillows and hugged it tightly to her, looking a tad bit childish now. "The reason some do not know about the red string is that some people don't have a soulmate, or don't believe in soulmates." She brushed some of Levy's curls behind her ear and fixed her bandana. "And those that do, can only see their own string and their soulmate's. Nobody else can see your red string but your soulmate and you, Levy."

"T-that means- Uhm… What does that mean?" Levy's brow furrowed.

"That someone is out there for you, Levy. Your soulmate. And one day, you'll find each other." Shagotte's smile creased the corner of her eyes when Levy's eyes widened in wonder.

"And, we'll live happily ever after? Like in fairy tales?" Levy's excitement almost made her bounce from the bed as she kneeled in front of her aunt.

"Well, that'll depend." Shagotte chuckled.

"On what?" Levy's head tilted to the side.

"On both of you. But once you find them, you'll know."

"So, I'll see their string." Shagotte nodded in response. "Auntie, can you see your string?"

Shagotte smiled then but it didn't reach her eyes which Levy noticed. "Yes. But I haven't found the other end yet." Levy turned her eyes to the side, flustered that she had asked such a private question that obviously made her aunt uncomfortable. Shagotte chuckled again and hugged Levy. "But I will. One day, I'll find them. Same as you, right?" She placed a kiss on Levy's cornflower hair.

"Mhm! I will!" Levy nodded and returned the embrace.

After that conversation, Levy never talked about her red string with anyone else. She also stopped looking at people's left hand, trying to find that special person that was meant for her. It was just too awkward whenever she had to explain to others why she seemed oddly intrigued by people's left hand. Now, as her last year of high school was beginning, Levy was completely used to seeing the red string hanging from her finger. Though now, she was curious as to why the thread had turned into a much vibrant color during the last month.

It started one afternoon of her summer break when she was waiting for Lucy at their favorite cafe. She sat at one of the tables outside, enjoying the warm weather and delightful breeze that had blessed Magnolia on that day. Levy was in the second chapter of her book when a slight tingle made her left hand to tremble. The strange feeling spread from her fingertips up to her wrist and with every breath she took sparks of electricity ignited every nerve under her skin. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but rather unique. In her life, she had never experienced anything remotely similar to the sensation and she was intrigued by what could be causing such reaction. As she put her book down to inspect her hand, Levy noticed the red string practically shining, with its glow resembling that of sun rays being refracted by a ruby crystal. She was fascinated by the radiance and for the first time since she was 5 years old, Levy felt the strong need to follow where the thread would lead her to. As she looked up to where the string disappeared into thin air, she saw the bustling street full with people strolling around Magnolia enjoying the warm weather.

 _Maybe- maybe they're nearby._

As the thought crossed her mind, an indescribable warmth and sense of peace ran through her veins and spread through her body leaving her lightheaded. Her heart jumped in her chest in excitement at the flicker of hope that ignited her soul at the possibility that her soulmate could be across the street from her. Thoughts and questions ran rampant in her mind without any chance for Levy to stop them. How would their first meeting go? Would Levy act as her clumsy self and embarrass herself within the first minutes of conversation? Or would the right words flow from her mouth like a gentle song at the presence of her soulmate? Would they be nervous as well by the encounter? Or perhaps they would show a charming charisma bordering cockiness. The excitement for knowing the answers to her questions made Levy's heart race, overflowing her mind with a curiosity that completely consumed her judgment.

She wanted to know. She _needed_ to know!

As she made a move to stand up and head for her new adventure, Lucy's hand grabbed her shoulder, snapping Levy out of her vivid imagination about her magical encounter with her soulmate. Lucy apologized for arriving late, taking the seat across the table when she noticed the faraway look in Levy's eyes. The blue-haired girl shook her head, getting rid of the last traces of her fantasy, saying that she had just been entrapped by the plot of her book. When her friend ordered her coffee, Levy glanced shortly at her left hand and noticed the vibrant glow still present, but the tingling had ceased. She dared to look at the crowd of passersby once more and wondered if maybe her soulmate was gone now.

She wondered as well if she would ever find them again as she had promised her aunt Shagotte years before.

The thoughts kept running wild in her mind every day and night for a month. And now that the first day of the new school year was starting, Levy found it hard to concentrate on what professor Makarov was saying.

Levy's gaze trailed to the window next to her, noticing how the breeze outside ruffled the leaves of the old tree in the school's backyard. She spotted her favorite reading place by the tree and wondered then if her soulmate would enjoy spending time with her reading under the shade of her favorite tree. She imagined them laying their head on her lap, while she would run her fingers through their hair and hold her book with her other hand. She imagined them joining her at night at the rooftop of her house to look at the stars and create stories about their creation. She imagined a million of scenarios in which they would spend time together and formulated many questions on what her soulmate might enjoy doing. Those questions that she had spent countless nights thinking about had resurfaced and muted out her homeroom teacher's voice until it suddenly pierced through the barrel of thoughts that crossed her mind.

"... new classmate."

The door opened and Levy's eyes were instantly drawn towards the guy that came in.

He was tall, _very_ tall with long wild hair that reached down to his back and for the first time ever, Levy was glad the school was lenient with its hair policy. He had a broad back and muscled arms, which the uniform did a poor job of hiding as it hugged his large frame tightly. The piercings that adorned his face and ears sent an intimidating aura to everyone but Levy. If anything, she found them intriguing and quite fascinating and wondered if maybe they would be cold if she touched them with her fingertips. But out of every trait of this new classmate, Levy found herself enchanted by the vibrant red irises that met her hazel gaze. She was lost in the deep red sea of his eyes and felt how all the air in her lungs left her in one quick whoosh. Something tickled the back of her mind, a sense of familiarity that she couldn't pinpoint. His eyes caused warmth to spread in her chest and something in the ruby glow of his gaze made her feel welcomed, made her feel at home.

Levy had been so lost in her thoughts that she missed the moment when Makarov asked the new guy to sit on the desk two rows behind Levy. As he passed by her, her left hand tingled in the same way it did on that summer afternoon and she noticed that her red string was now warm to the touch.

 _Could it be-?_

She missed the way in which the new guy tightened his left hand in a fist or how his eyes glanced at her quickly before he sat down in his desk.

Levy tried her hardest to pay attention to class, she really did! But her mind kept going back to those red irises. She wanted to talk with him, to look at his left hand to finally get her answer on whether he might be her soulmate or not. But there was no way in which she could do that without looking like a complete dork. She decided then to wait until the lunch break to sneak a glance at him again and maybe chat a bit to get to know him a bit better. While time ticked by, her mind focused on trying to remember his name.

 _Damnit. Why didn't I pay attention?_

As much as she tried, Levy couldn't remember it. Did Makarov even say his name? Levy was getting even more nervous now. How could she even approach him if she didn't even know his name!

As a million of thoughts ran rampant through Levy's mind, she missed the way her new classmate chuckled at her incoherent mumbling and her uncontrollable fidgeting.

Time ticked away quickly and before she knew it, the bell rang loudly signaling lunchtime. Levy swallowed thickly, trying to calm down her heartbeat and gather the courage to talk to the guy sitting two rows behind her. But before she stood up, Natsu ran passed her desk in a hurry, yelling that he was starving, unintentionally knocking down Levy's books.

She huffed irritated, but Natsu was out of the door before she could yell at him to be more careful with her precious books. Levy knelt down next to her desk and started to gather her books in a neat pile when a set of hands covered by fingerless gloves got into her line of sight and picked up her history textbook. She looked up and was met by that pair of crimson eyes that seemed more vibrant now that she had them so close to her. His chiseled face and olive skin had Levy's mind reeling, trying to remember her plan on what to say to introduce herself.

 _Oh, Mavis. Oh, Mavis. Oh, Mavis!_

"Here." His gruff voice sent a shiver down her spine. His tone was so grave but still held some gentleness as he offered her the textbook. A blush threatened to cover her face as she nodded shyly and took her book from him.

"T-thank you. Uhm…"

 _What was his name!?_

"Gajeel." He answered her unspoken question before picking up some loose papers that had been knocked down along with Levy's books. The kind gesture made the tension leave her shoulders.

"Thank you, Gajeel." She smiled gently, feeling the tingling in her left hand increase but far from making her more nervous, it eased some of the weight that had settled on her heart.

"Don't mention it." He shrugged before offering her the stack of papers. When she grabbed it, her fingertips grazed his and electricity shot up her arm. Gajeel jerked his hand away as the similar feeling coursed through his arm, puzzling him completely.

"What da fuck-" Levy raised her gaze from her hand to meet his startled expression. He looked at his left hand and Levy's eyes widened.

With a perfect knot sitting neatly in the middle of his pinky, a beautiful red string hung from Gajeel's little finger, and, to her utter disbelief, it connected to hers. And for the first time in her life, Levy finally found where her string led her to. Or better said, to whom.

All her life, her red string was leading her to Gajeel.

Her heart jumped in her chest in excitement and a pretty blush dusted her cheeks. She was at a complete loss of words and she raised her hand to cover her mouth that stayed ajar without taking her eyes away from Gajeel's hand.

After the initial shock, Gajeel looked back at the small girl in front of him just to freeze when he saw the red string that hung from her finger. His breath hitched when he noticed that she was looking at his left hand with wide eyes and a pretty blush over her pearly skin.

"W-wha- Can you- Uhm… Is that-?" He tried to form any sort of question to bring the girl out of her shock, but the thoughts crossed his mind faster than his mouth could form the words, making him look like a fool and flustering him even more.

Levy snapped out of her stupor from his stuttering and had to suppress her giggles at his gaping mouth and surprised eyes. "I- y-yeah... Uhm- do you-? Uhm…" The nervousness she thought she would feel at meeting her soulmate was nothing compared to how awkward the situation had turned. Because as much as she had dreamt about this encounter, she never stopped to consider one important point.

What were you supposed to say to your soulmate the moment you finally met them?

Levy wanted to scream and dance in joy, but also wanted to run out of the room to hide in her home for the rest of her life. She had never been this clumsy or lost her ability to even communicate coherently. Words had always been her thing, but Gajeel made every word die on her tongue before they could be pronounced by her voice. But as much as she felt flustered, Levy felt rooted to her place. She felt as if a chain had been tied to her heart, connecting her directly to Gajeel. And maybe, that was the purpose of her red string. To create that connection in which she felt like her soul was bare only for him to see. She felt vulnerable then, but at the same time safe. For some reason, she felt like Gajeel was someone she could trust with her life, even when they had yet to have a comprehensible conversation.

Gajeel scratched the back of his head awkwardly, turning his eyes away from the inquisitive hazel gaze of Levy. He knew what it meant that he could see her red string and by the looks of it, she also knew about it as well. Was he supposed to ask her out now? He didn't even know her name. Would it be too creepy to just tell her that he found the freckles on her cheeks adorable? Or that he was fascinated by the sky-blue color of her hair?

As Gajeel focused his eyes to the side, Levy noticed the blush covering the tips of his ears. He was as flustered as she was and she found it so endearing. And somehow, Levy remembered that conversation she had with her aunt Shagotte.

 _A happy ending will depend on both of us._ But to get there, there was still one important step for Levy to take.

A soft smile graced Levy's lips as she straightened from where she stood. Gajeel looked back at her when she giggled lightly and he couldn't suppress the gentle smile that tilted his own lips. Levy took a deep breath, gathering all the courage she owned before offering him her hand to shake.

"My name is Levy. It's nice to meet you, Gajeel." The cheeky smile she offered him calmed Gajeel's nerves as he enveloped his large hand over hers, feeling how both ends of the string finally touch.

"It's nice to finally meet ya, Levy."

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 **A/N** : Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoy this little fic :) Let me know your thoughts on it!

 **WTF (Where's The Food?)**


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